The article presents the person of Janusz Ballenstedt (1929–2005), a Cracow architect, whom twists of fate relocated to French circles. He was the designer of significant buildings in Poland, a man of great knowledge, skilful in his use of the pen. He transferred his thoughts regarding the all-encompassing viewing of architecture to paper. A valuable book, titled “Architecture – Theory and History” (PWN 2000) was written. The article is focused on J. Ballenstedt’s earlier unpublished work, a manifesto of the architect, titled Theory of Minimum in Architecture.

The paper is a comment to the published in this yearbook of TEKA KOMISJI URBANISTYKI I ARCHITEKTURY memorial text „Żórawski’s School” by Janusz Ballenstedt written 50 years ago. The author confirms the actuality of Ballenstedt’s remarks on professor architect Juliusz Żórawski (1898–1967) as teacher of architectural design, and widens the argumentation quoting Żórawski’s proposal of the notion: “employment of space”, suggested by Żórawski for designers on the example of cinema waiting hall. Citation from the “Felieton” by Żórawski allows the reader better to understand the specificity of experiment which the architect performed when designing the apartment house at Aleja Przyjaciół in Warsaw, focused on providing comfort for the inhabitants.